Ever wondered what the developmental norms may be for feeding?
Below is a list of when all the skills required for successful feeding should develop as well as when some reflexes should disappear. These are taken from a great book called ‘Sensory Motor Approach to Feeding’ by Lori Overland and Robyn Merkel-Walsh? This list will give an idea as to what you should be looking out for in terms of how oral motor skills can contribute towards feeding difficulties.
0-3 months
• Rooting Reflex
• Suck Reflex
• Suck-Swallow Reflex
• Phasic Bite Reflex
• Lateral Tongue Reflex
• Gag Reflex on the front third of the tongue
• Tongue cups to provide channel for backward movement of fluid
• Lips, tongue and palate function as an unit
4-6 months
• Rooting Reflex has disappeared
• Phasic Bite Reflex has disappeared
• Munching pattern is evident
• Suck-Swallow-Breathe pattern becomes more active, however it is uncoordinated
• Gag reflex starts to move back
• The child starts to protrude and retract tongue in anticipation for the spoon, and also to swallow
7-9 months
• Lateral Tongue reflex disappears
• Child has the ability to protrude, retract, lateralise and elevate tongue
• Some jaw-lip dissociation is evident during feeding
• Child tends to start cup drinking – however the jaw may be unstable
• Beginning to move food around the mouth using their tongue
• Gag reflex is no the back third of the tongue
10-12 months
• Sucking pattern is well established
• Improved lip closure for swallowing
• Improved coordination of movements for drinking
• Rotary chew pattern is developed
• Gag reflex moves further back – top the pharyngeal wall
13-15 months
• Developing jaw-lip-tongue dissociation
• Dissociation of tongue tip and blade
• Increased jaw stability for biting
• Some lip closure during chewing
16-18 months
• Good jaw stability for biting and chewing developing
• Increased dissociation of the jaw, lips and tongue
• Reduced tongue thrust during swallowing
• Good control of liquid
• Controlled bite on a biscuit without any obvious head movement
19-24 months
• Uses tongue to clean lips
• Can drink continuously drink from a straw
• Good lip closure for chewing
• Tongue retraction for swallowing
• Is able to chew foods such as meat
• Rotary chew pattern
25-36 months
• Stable jaw
• Appropriate jaw grading for biting and chewing
• Refined tongue movements
• Adult–like chewing pattern
• Mature swallow pattern